Classifier.



' W. H. DONALD.

CLASSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. Isls.

1 298, 3 1 O Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

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a Q MM b @MM M UNITE STAT PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HECTOR DONALD, OF OAK RIDG'ES, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE- HALF TO SAMUEL G-UNDY FORST, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

CLASSIFIER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HECTOR DONALD, mechanical engineer, of the town of Oak Ridges, county of York, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Classifiers, for which I have obtained a patent of the Dominion of Canada numbered 186,017, dated the 13th day of August, 1918, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in classifiers, and the principal object of my invention is to give the teeth of the rake each a curvilinear path of movement so as to efficiently work the bed of sand to insure the maximum separation of slime therefrom before the sand escapes from the apparatus, this type of apparatus; and another object of my invention is to provide a very light, yet durable, apparatus and one which can be manufactured and placed on the market at a cost considerably below that of the same class of apparatus now on the market.

Broadly considered, the classifier oo mprises a settling-box in the form of an 1nclined trough, open at the upper end; a rake; a crank-shaft journaled in the sides of said settling-box andvcoupled'to long itudinal supporting means, which has iiexible connection with said rake so that motion is transmitted from said crank-shaft to reciprocate the rakewithin said settling-box so as to insure each tooth of the rake having a curvilinear path of movement, and flexible means connecting said rake, near ,each end, with said fixed supporting means so as to suspend said rake to permit the same to be actuated, after the manner hereinafter particularly set forth, without being directly connected with said crank-shaft.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of I ny classifier, portion of one side of which is broken away, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the bottom of the box or troughvshowing approximately the contour of the bed of sand as it appears when raked by the rake.

In the drawings, like characters of reference refer to the same parts.

The operation of the rake in a certain type of classifier, with which I am acquainted, agitates the sand, but since the teeth of said rake reciprocate back and Specification of Letters Patent.

thus increasing ythe eiiciency of Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application led January 20, 1919. Serial No. 272,221.

forth substantially parallel to the bottom of the trough of the settling box, they do not comb or rake the bed of sand in such manner as to fully facilitate the separation of slime therefrom. Now the operation of the controlling means for my rake will comb or rake the sand into a series of ridges having more or less curved or sloped sides, by reason of the teeth being moved through individual curvilinear paths, and since each tooth overlaps lthe path of movement of one or both teeth at each side thereof, the formed ridges are broken down simultaneously with 4the formation of fresh ridges, thus insuring that the sand submerged in the water will be thoroughly agitated so as to secure the maximum separation of slime. Upon referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen4 that the teeth of the rake are given a forward-upward movement as the rake moves toward the upper end of the settling-box, thus not only shoving the sand up toward the upper end of the box, but at the same time liftingportions thereof, thus more effectually separating the par- 'rieles of sand and increasing the amount of slime recovered. The unsubmerged body of sand, by reason of the working thereof as described, is more efficiently drained so that the recovery of slime through such drainage is considerably increased. and the sand conseouentlv considerably dried." Of course. the movement in the water will more or less break down the ridges formed in the submerged portion of the body of sand irrespective of thev action of the teeth, but the action Vof the teeth is absolutely necessary to completely efficiently work the sand` to effect the obiect in view.

The settling box comprises a trough A composed of sides B, an inclined bottom C, and a closed end D, over the top of which the slime is discharged in the usual way. The rake may be of any suitable make, though it preferably comprises two side members E. which are coupled together by a plurality of teeth F, of suitable construction. G and H are pairs of posts preferably carried by the sides B, and the upper ends thereof are tied together by cross pieces 2. 3 is the suspension-bar which is hinged as shown at 4, to a bail 5, which is preferably carried by the said members E of the rake. 6 is a crank-shaft which ismounted in suitable journals 7, (only one of which is lOb shown), carried by the sides B. Ag shown at 8, the said crank-shaft is held in a bearing'boX 8 carried by the vsuspension-bar 3. The said crankshaft isoperated 'byany-suita'ble means such as a toothed-wheel 9 keyedV from-touching the 'bottom C of the trough,

pairs of rods 18 and 14 are hinged at the upper ends of their vrespective cross pieces 2,

and are provided with looped 'endsl which, in the case of the rods 14, engage the bar 16 of the bail 5,.and in the case of the rods 13 are coupled to openV hooks `1'? Acarried by the bail '18, the lower ends of= which. are

preferably secured to the sideimembers E ofthe rake. Aslthe crank-shaft 6 isropei ated, the suspension-bar is moved longitudi- A nally "of the settling-box, andrinrorder ,to-

transmit this movement .to the rake, the said suspension bar' iscoupled by rods 19 to the Y rake,l preferably .through said members E thereof. As fbefore mentioned, .the movement given the lower` end of thesuspensionbar. 3 movesthe suspension-bar around its vhinge 4: onfthe bail.` 5, and'` during theupward*v movementof .the .lower end of said suspension-bar the same isbrought into` 'contact with the bar 20 of thebail i18,1thus lifting the rake, whichy isi then moved toward the4 lower end ofthe .settling-box' and Y throughnthe furtherinovement fof the,l

crank-shaft 6 isffmovedf'toward theupper end thereof. Inr ordeiff toinsure rthelifting of. thelupperA end :oflzthe rake-fthe Vloai121 is provided,- andthe same Vis coupled yto the rake, -as fbefore y'described '.At the said Vsuspensionfbar -fis lifted7 Vthessanie .islvbrought into .contact With'the bar22 ofY the bail 21, and then is broughtinto contactwith' the bar 20 vof the bail 18. The construetion--cle scribed :insures the proper lifting Aand l0ngitudinal -movement of fthe' 1ra-ke. without di# rectly connecting the fcrankshaft 6' thereto.

The bail 18, in contactfwiththe suspension-"bar-S, allowsfor the ifreej downward movement fofV .the crank-shaft 6 "after it passes the horizontal,an'd 'iinsuresthat the hooks il?. are supported byY the looped ends 15 by Ythetime the saiot suspensionbar moves below the bar 20 o f said bailthus prevent'- ingthesudden dropping. .of y.thef-rake; YAs' thesuspensi-on-,bar 3 iswmovedl downwardly around. its Ahinge 4,. through ther actionfof the crankfshaft 6fthis. .bar issmoved below the bar 22;ofthe bail ,2l .thus ipermitting. the bar 416. of Vthe bail torestagainst the flower ends of thelooped ends 15 .ofthe rods 14, since duringthe lifting ofthe lowerV ^end Vofthe. rake,. the uppenendthereof is lifted- Yor less sloped sides of the ridges.

From the .foregoing specification, it is clear that my classifier [will operateeeffil ciently, and since it is cheaply, yet strongly, constructed,'there will be no loss of time caused through closing... down thereof through breakagef'of' the parts.

Claims: Y ,Y n 1. In a classieigvthe combination" withv the trough thereof a rake mounted therein, and iirstand secondigroups r-of ,fiXedfsupportQ ing means associated with said-'trough;of.' a Y crank-shaft having bearing; .in said trough;

reciprocating meansYV coupledV to:` saidcranlf; shaft andinwliich the-'same isJrurnaledlg` means: flexibly coupling said reciprocating means to said rake so', as; to move-.the same longitudinally of 4.said trough; ...flexible meansv supporti-iig the' `upper .endof .saidLre-4 ciprocating means from vone-- .goup,.,of.fsaid fixedV supporti-ng means, and f eXible .means whereby, when saidkmeans .for supporting said rake from said.;rec1procating. .nieansis.'

not in operation, therake is supported .fromV both groups .of saidfixed supporting; thewhole arrangeduso that acompletecycle of theirake will carry theteetli thereofReach" through a curvilinear path "ofinoveiiiet.v Y

2. In a classifier, thefcombinationwithV the trough thereof a rake lmountedtherein, and` first and s'econd groups of' fixedk supporting means associated with fsaid trough, fof asusf pension bar; a crank-shaft,,having.bearingsIVY in said trough andr suitably 'coupled to4 said, suspensionsbar; means wherebyf said suspen`V sion. yb ar is .coupled to said raketo transmit longitudinal ,movementtofsaid rake meansr whereby said rake isf liftedV v by. saidsuspen-- sion-bar .-idurifng` therwupward .s movement thereof' independently ,of 's'a'id.v cranksshaft flexible' means whereby, whenllthe :means for. supporting said .rake :from VVsaid suspen sionebaij. is not in operation, the-rakeA is supported :froml bothgroups of said lined supporting, means, and a; .hinged .connection foi` the'iupper end. fof` saidsuspens'ionfbar to one group of said -Xedsupporting means;

l 3.. In. a `classifier, thecombination` with the trough thereof a :rake .mountedth'ereim and' first and: second 4groupsof fixed :supe` porting means associated 'withv said. trgh, of a suspension-bar; a. crankshaft'. having bearings insaid/troughand.suitablycou Y.

pled to said suspension-bar;y means wherebyV p said suspension-.bariscoupledto. said rake l to transmit longitudinal' movementtosaid rake; a pair of .bailsspaced apart and coupled to4 said rake. aiidnexteiiding.I over said suspension-bar sothatvsaid yrake will-1` be lifted by said suspension-bar' during the vdipf- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C."

sitioned near the lower end of said rake, und a loop formed at the lower end of each of the said second-mentioned rods co-acting wlh sind open hooks, for the purpose specifie Signed at Toronto, this 13th day of January, 1919.

W. H. DONALD.

In the presence of A. A. ADAMS, P. S. MARCH.

commissioner of Patents, 

